Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body has an extreme response to an infection. Because it can cause tissue damage and organ failure, patients require prompt diagnosis and treatment. Medical providers’ failure to recognize sepsis may lead to the rapid worsening of a patient’s condition, and in severe cases, complications from delayed treatment can result in permanent injuries, including limb loss.
Philadelphia patients harmed by a delayed sepsis diagnosis may have grounds to pursue compensation through a medical malpractice claim.
How Can a Delayed Sepsis Diagnosis Lead to Amputation?
Sepsis can progress alarmingly quickly when doctors fail to diagnose and treat it promptly. As the condition worsens, the body’s response to infection can damage tissues and organs and interfere with normal blood flow. Reduced circulation to the arms, legs, fingers, or toes may deprive tissue of the oxygen it needs to survive. If tissue becomes severely damaged or dies, doctors may determine that it’s necessary to amputate the affected limb or extremity.
Additionally, some patients with severe sepsis require medications to support dangerously low blood pressure. This can further reduce circulation to the extremities.
Common Medical Errors That Cause Delayed Sepsis Diagnosis
A delayed sepsis diagnosis may occur when healthcare providers fail to recognize the increasing severity of a patient’s condition. Some diagnostic or treatment errors that can delay a proper diagnosis include:
- Failing to identify symptoms consistent with sepsis
- Delaying blood tests, cultures, or other diagnostic testing
- Misdiagnosing sepsis as a less serious condition
- Failing to monitor a patient whose condition is deteriorating
- Delaying antibiotics or other appropriate treatment after sepsis is suspected
Sepsis can continue to progress when these errors prevent timely treatment, potentially leading to severe tissue damage and amputation.
Contact a Delayed Sepsis Diagnosis Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you required an amputation due to sepsis that resulted from a medical provider’s preventable error, you may be entitled to compensation for the resulting financial and personal losses. The experienced trial attorneys at Eisenberg Winkler Jeck Schwartz Schoenhaus & Sherry, P.C. are dedicated to fighting for people who have suffered catastrophic harm due to medical errors. For life’s toughest trials, contact our office right away to arrange a free consultation with a Philadelphia delayed sepsis diagnosis lawyer.
